News archive
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2013
May 15
Opening Celebration Audio Field Trip at the Class of 1918 Marsh in Memory of Professor Stanley Dodson
Enjoy learning about the marsh, its formation, history, plants and animals. Mon. Memorial Day, May 27, 2013. Tour at 11AM with potluck picnic at Noon. Park in lot 130. Tour and picnic will be near the observation platform (to the right from the parking lot as you look at the marsh). RSVP John Magnuson 233-2036 or jjmagnus@wisc.edu.
April 5
Preserve Committee to take action on Proposed Eagle Height Woods Management Plan
The proposed Eagle Heights Woods Management Plan and Appendices will be presented to the Lakeshore Nature Preserve Committee at their April 11, 2013 meeting for a vote. All are welcome to attend the meeting from 9-10:30AM in the confernce room on the 19th floor of Van Hise Hall. You can also send comments to Rhonda James at rjames@fpm.wisc.edu.
March 28
Explore the Preserve!—Tours at 2pm and 3:30pm on Sun. April 7 as part of the UW-Madison Science Expeditions
Friends of the Lakeshore Nature Preserve member and naturalist, Sue Denholm, will guide participants of any age on an exploration of the Preserve comparing past to the present. Tours will last approximately 45 minutes. Meet at the Picnic Point parking lot #129, 2004 University Bay Drive. Find more info on UW-Madison Science Expeditions.
March 22
The Friends of the Lakeshore
Nature Preserve announce Spring & Summer
Field Trips
Field trips, led by knowledgeable
volunteers, are free and fun! Get
the schedule here.
March 15
Find out the latest happenings
in the Preserve
Read the Spring 2013
Preserve E-Newsletter.
Feb. 19
Eagle Heights Woods Draft Management Plan
UW Landscape Architect Rhonda James will present the DRAFT Eagle Heights Woods Management Plan on
Tues. February 26, 2013 at 6:00pm in room 132 in the WARF building at 610 Walnut Street. Parking is free in lot 64 after 4:30PM. Here are the draft management plan and appendices. Comments and questions are welcome! If you have written comments that you would like to share please send them to Rhonda James rjames@fpm.wisc.edu.
Jan. 8
Preserve Stakeholder Meeting
January 29
The Preserve Director will
present the 2013-2014 workplan and budget, answer questions, and take comments.
The meeting is scheduled for 5:30PM Tues. Jan. 29 in room 132 WARF (610 Walnut
St.) Parking is free in lot 64 after 4:30PM.
2012
Sept. 29
Preserve Stakeholder Meeting set
for Sept. 25
Please attend the first of two
stakeholder meetings to hear a status report on the 2012-13 workplan; then give
us input as we start planning our work for next year. The meeting is scheduled
for 5:30PM Tues. Sept. 25 in room 132 WARF (610 Walnut St.) Parking is free in
lot 64 after 4:30PM.
Friends Announce Fall Field Trips
The Friends of the Lakeshore Nature Preserve host free, informative field
trips in the Preserve. Check out the
field trip schedule here.
July 17
Find out the latest happenings
in the Preserve
Read the Summer 2012 Preserve
e-newsletter.
April 26
Photo Exhibits to Feature the Preserve
The Lakeshore Nature Preserve will be the focus of a photo exhibit at UW-Madison's Health Sciences Learning Center (second floor by the east elevators) from 8 June to 6 July 2012. All four seasons are represented in this exhibit by Deb Ahlstedt, a long-time member of the Friends of the Preserve. Many of the pictures also will be on display at the Sunroom Cafe on State Street from 8 July through 19 August 2012, as part of a larger exhibit on UW-Madison.
April 11
NO FIRES ALLOWED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE--City of Madison Burn Ban Effective
April 10, 2012
DNR burning conditions show VERY HIGH to HIGH in our area. Read the press release http://www.cityofmadison.com/news/view.cfm?news_id=3157 .
March 15
Pulling Together: The 2012 Garlic Mustard Challenge!
The Garlic Mustard Challenge is a collaborative effort between the University, the Friends of the Preserve and other volunteers who will "pull together" to control this invasive plant in the Lakeshore Nature Preserve.
Everyone is welcome to join in the effort! Check out the Preserve volunteer workparty schedule for dates and times you can help. Look for weekly updates--number of hours worked and bags of garlic mustard removed--on the Friends of the Preserve website and on kiosks located in the Preserve. A celebration will take place after the volunteer workparty on Sat. May 5 from Noon to 1pm at the entrance to Picnic Point. Refreshments will be provided, including garlic mustard pesto!For more information contact Bryn Scriver bscriver@fpm.wisc.edu.
Find out the latest happenings
in the Preserve
Read the Spring 2012 Preserve e-newsletter
Feb. 6
PUBLIC MEETING
to collect input for Eagle Heights Woods planning: Wed. Feb. 21 at 5pm in Room 132 WARF building
Read a letter regarding the Eagle Heights Woods planning process.
Jan. 1
Preserve Stakeholder Meeting scheduled for January 24, 2012
The next stakeholder meeting will be held at 5pm on Tues. Jan. 24 in room 132 of the WARF building (610 Walnut St.). Free parking is available in lot 64 starting at 4:30pm. The Preserve Director will present a draft workplan, operating, and capital budgets for 2012.
2011
Nov. 17
Read the latest news from the Preserve.
Oct. 25
Parking Enforcement Changes at Picnic Point Lots (129 and 130): Starts Nov.
1
The two parking lots at the entrance to Picnic Point (lots 129 & 130)
will begin a new enforcement program on Tuesday, November 1, 2011. Visitors will
be asked to pay to park using the on-site pay stations and display their receipt
on their dash. Parking rates will be $1 for the first hour, $2 for 61 to 90
minutes, $3 for 91 to 120 minutes and $1 for every hour thereafter until the
$12/day maximum is reached. Parking will be enforced Monday through Friday.
Parking is free evenings and weekends. Regular Preserve volunteers, volunteers
at drop-in volunteer workparties and faculty/staff teaching or conducting
research in the Preserve will be provided free parking permits for their use;
please contact Preserve staff prior to your visit.
Sept. 17
Preserve Stakeholder Meeting set for Tues. Sept. 27
Please attend the first of two stakeholder meetings to hear a status report on the 2011-12 workplan; then give us input as we start planning our work for next year. The meeting is scheduled for 5PM Tues. Sept. 27 in room 132 WARF (610 Walnut St.). Parking is free in lot 64 after 4:30PM.
August 25
Friends Announce Fall Field Trips
The Friends of the Lakeshore Nature Preserve host free, expert-led field trips in the Preserve. Check out the field trip schedule here.
August 18
Picnic Point Improvements Project UPDATE
On Tues. Aug. 23 – Fri. Aug. 26 you may see signs at Picnic Point that say:
Heavy truck traffic
TODAY 7 am – 12 pm
Use Alternate Routes
These signs will be posted when small loads of concrete are transported to the end of Picnic Point. It would be advisable for pedestrians to avoid the area beyond fire circle 2 during the posted times for everyone’s safety.
Thank you for your cooperation during this part of the construction. (8/19)
July 28
Parking Enforcement Changes at Picnic Point Lots (129 and 130)
In August, UW Transportation Services will begin a new way of enforcing the parking in the gravel lots at the base of Picnic Point Mondays through Fridays. New multi-space pay stations will be installed at each lot. All users will need to pay in advance for parking and display their receipt on their dash. Short term users will pay a minimal amount for parking. The longer you stay, the more expensive parking will be in an effort to reduce student and staff parking in these lots and commuting in to the campus via the local bus. Unfortunately, many students, faculty and staff are currently abusing the 3-hour free parking system that was to be reserved for Preserve users. Parking will remain free on Saturdays and Sundays. Parking at Frautschi Point and Raymer’s Cove will currently remain free at all times.
Construction to begin in August on Picnic Point Improvements
Starting in August visitors to the Preserve can expect to see construction traffic on the service road that starts at the gate in the stone wall and on the main Picnic Point path from fire circle 2 out to the tip of the point.
Due to sensitive cultural and vegetative resources only smaller, lighter weight vehicles will be allowed on the Point. The trade off for using smaller vehicles is more trips; please be aware of their presence and try to be cooperative so work can move along as quickly as possible. Contractors have been directed to not drive off the edge of the path to pass pedestrians but rather to stop and allow pedestrian to move past them.
If you wish to be away from the bustle of construction there are many wonderful trails in the Lakeshore Nature Preserve to the west of the Picnic Point Entrance. Try exploring Frautschi Point or stroll through Tent Colony Woods to another magnificent view from Raymer’s Cove. For those looking for some slope on their hike the trails in Eagle Heights Woods rise over 100 feet before reaching the top of that area. To see much more detail on these areas please explore the interactive map.
Construction is expected to continue through October 2011 with possible planting and restoration work occurring in Spring 2012.
You can read more about the Picnic Point Improvements Project.
If you have observations or concerns please contact Rhonda James. (7/28)
July 27
Read the latest news from the Preserve.
May 26
Bicycle Riding No Longer Allowed on Picnic Point Path
Beginning on Saturday, May 28, the gravel path that runs from the entrance to Picnic Point to the eastern tip of the point will be closed to bicycle riding.
The change from a shared-use path to a pedestrians-only path was made to protect the safety of all people using the path and to protect the significant cultural and natural resources of the area.
Read the UW News press release here. (5/26)
April 8
The Preserve expands its controlled burn program in 2011
Controlled burns (aka prescribed burns and prescribed fire) simulate historic, naturally occurring wildfires. They are used to improve habitat for wildlife, to prepare areas for seeding and promote germination, and to kill or set back invasive plants such as buckthorn and garlic mustard. Burning the previous years plant matter also returns nutrients to the soil encouraging more healthy and productive plant growth.
Controlled burns are conducted by experienced and trained firefighters who control fire behavior through comprehensive planning and specialized fire equipment. Weather conditions must also be appropriate. Too much wind and/or moisture or lack of moisture can affect how and when fire is used. Smoke management is also an important part of planning. Burns will only be conducted when wind conditions will minimize the amount of smoke reaching houses, roads, and other smoke sensitive areas.
Areas to be burned this spring include: Biocore Prairie and the woods edge north of Biocore Prairie, the woods opening south of the Physical Plant storage area, and Raymer’s Cove parking lot prairie.
Read the full report on the Preserve's expanded controlled burn program. (4/8)
March 21
Bicycle Use on Picnic Point Listening Session
The Lakeshore Preserve Committee seeks public input on a recurrent issue, that of bicycle access to the trail running along the spine of Picnic Point.
The Committee last considered the appropriateness of bicycle use in this area of the Preserve in 2005. Driven by concerns that a subset of inconsiderate bikers either rode too aggressively, or exacerbated erosion and spread invasive species by riding off the designated trail, the Preserve Committee opted for infrastructural changes and a trial period of education to encourage bikers to ride responsibly or consider enjoying Picnic Point as pedestrians.
Walkers and runners constitute the majority of Picnic Point path users. Nonetheless, recent user surveys indicate a subset of bikers who ride without concern for others remains a cause for concern and a threat to the long-term ecological health of Picnic Point. Thus, the Preserve Committee has decided to reconsider the appropriateness of bicycle access to Picnic Point.
We invite you to contribute your perspective at a public listening session, Monday, March 21st 2011, 7-8:30 PM at the Memorial Union. Please check the Today in the Union for exact meeting room location. You may also add your voice via email to the Chair, Bill Barker.
You can view the current bike policy here.
You can read the entire press release from the Preserve Committee here (3/8).
Read the UW Communications press release here (3/16).
March 17
Read the latest news from the Preserve.
January 11
You're invited to the Second Public Stakeholders Meeting
The Director and staff from the Lakeshore Nature Preserve will host the second and final public stakeholders meeting on Tuesday, January 25 to discuss the 2011 budget and work priorities. The meeting will be held from 5-6:30 PM in Room 132 of the WARF (Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation) building at 610 Walnut Street. Free parking is available south of the building. We hope to see you there! (1/11)
January 6
Public Meeting Announcement - Environmental Impact Assessment for Picnic Point Improvements - DOWNLOADABLE draft EIA
A public meeting to present the proposed UW-Madison Picnic Point Site Improvement Project and findings of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) will be held at 5:30 PM on Thursday, January 27, 2011, in Room 132 of the WARF Building at 610 N. Walnut Street on the UW-Madison campus. Free parking is available after 5:00 p.m. in the adjacent parking lot.
The Draft EIA, which has led to a preliminary finding of no significant impact, will be available for public review beginning January 13, 2011, and ending January 27, 2011, and can be found at the following locations:
Circulation Desk, UW-Madison Helen C. White Library, 600 N. Park Street, Madison WI 53706
Circulation Desk, City of Madison Public Library (Sequoya Branch Location), 513 Midvale Blvd., Madison WI 53711
Capital Planning and Budget, UW System Administration, 780 Regent Street, Suite 210, Madison WI 53715
Or download the draft EIA here:
Narrative Report (PDF File, 0.3MB)
Appendices (PDF File, 11MB)
Written comments must be received by noon on January 27th, 2011. Click here for a copy of written comment form. Completed forms should be sent to:
Ms. Lynn Scherbert
Ayres Associates
1802 Pankratz Street
Madison, WI 54704-4069
ScherbertL@AyresAssociates.com
View the full public meeting announcement here (1/6)
2010
November 16
Project Proposal Form Now Available
In an effort to streamline the budget process, the Preserve Director and staff created a Project Proposal Form to provide a uniform method of reviewing proposal recommendations for capital improvements, funding assistance or maintenance support within the Lakeshore Nature Preserve’s 300 acres of natural areas. Proposals may be submitted by faculty, staff, students, community members or Friends of the Preserve. Proposals will be accepted until December 1, 2010.
Please note: A separate application process is necessary for specific “research” or “teaching” activities that support the university’s educational mission within the Lakeshore Nature Preserve. More info.
November 12
Willow Creek Woods Tree Removals
In accordance with the phased vegetation management plan approved by the Lakeshore Nature Preserve Committee, the UW Grounds Department will remove undesirable trees in “Willow Creek Woods” to continue the protection and enhancement of the existing oaks, hickories, and archaeological features. Work will begin the last week of November after the Thanksgiving break.
The primary goal is to restore and manage “Willow Creek Woods” as an oak savanna, to include oak/hickories along with compatible herbaceous and woody plant species, while protecting the effigy mounds and other archaeological features of the site.
One large Silver Maple will be protected which was used in the summer of 2010 by Great Horned Owls to raise their young.
November 5
Find out what's been going on in the Preserve.
October 22
Picnic Point Improvements Status Meeting--We want your input!
The Lakeshore Nature Preserve Committee and staff from Facilities Planning & Management will host a public meeting to discuss the status of the improvements for the eastern tip of Picnic Point. The meeting will be held on Tuesday, November 9 at 7:00 p.m. in Room 1335 of the Health Science Learning Center. Free parking will be available in Lot 60 (north of Rennebohm Hall) or in Lot 64 (near the WARF building). Current plans for the project will be shared and the public is encouraged to attend to provide input. The eastern tip of Picnic Point is one of six picnic sites in the Lakeshore Nature Preserve, the 300-acre natural area along the shores of Lake Mendota.
Questions can be directed to: Gary Brown, 263-3023 or via e-mail at: gbrown@fpm.wisc.edu (10/22)
October 16
We Want to Hear from You at the Public Stakeholders Meeting!
The Lakeshore Nature Preserve will be hosting a public stakeholders meeting on Tuesday, October 26, 2010 from 5-6:30 PM in Room 132 of the WARF (Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation) building at 610 Walnut Street. Free parking is available south of the building. This is the first of the two stakeholder meetings to gather public input on developing a 2011 budget and work priorities for the coming year. Please join us. We want to hear from you!
July 22
Read the latest news from the Preserve.
April 30
Explore the new Preserve Audio Trail
Where is the old Picnic Point farmhouse? Who is restoring Biocore Prairie? What is the story behind 1918 Marsh? The Preserve has so many stories to share!
Now you can learn more about these special places by listening to cultural and natural history narratives on your cell phone or portable media player. Learn how to connect... (4/30)
April 24
Enjoy the view from the new Preserve iconic bench
Check out the latest edition to the Preserve:a custom park bench handcrafted by UW-Platteville students, our manufacturing partners and local volunteers. Learn how this special bench was designed and built from local and recycled materials.
Read the latest news from the Preserve.
2009
November 18
August 7
August 5
Outdoor fireplace at Frautschi Point restored
Repairs to the old fireplace at Frautschi Point have been completed. This restoration was made possible by a generous gift from the Walter A. and Dorothy Jones Frautschi Trust. Learn more about this old fireplace and the nearby duck blind. (8/5)
July 14
New geocache policy
Geocaching is the outdoor sport of locating hidden treasures (caches) with the use of a GPS unit to navigate. We now require a permit application prior to placement of caches within the Preserve. Read the policy... (7/14)
July 9
UW Cultural Landscape video broadcast
For more than 12,000 years, American Indians have had a profound relationship with the lands that now form the UW-Madison campus. A new video, "UW Madison Cultural Landscape: First Nations," explores this history from ancient mound builders to present day students, staff and faculty. The video includes several scenes of the Preserve.
Broadcast on Wisconsin Public Television:
July 9 (Thurs) 7 PM
July 10 (Fri) noon
July 13 (Mon) 6 AM
June 9
Improvements to the tip of Picnic Point
On June 9, 2009 a public meeting was held to introduce the preliminary designs for improvements to the end of Picnic Point. Learn more about this planning process.
April 21
Spring 2009 Preserve E-Newsletter
February 5
It’s wonderful having such good Friends!
The Preserve recently received gifts totaling more than $16,000 from the Friends of the Lakeshore Nature Preserve. The donation includes funds to help cover the costs of native plants, tools and invasive plant control. The gift also includes sponsorship of Audubon interns--a program that provides a team of undergraduates who work at the Preserve one day per week (and other sites the other four) during our summer field season. View the Friends website for more information on how you can get involved. Thank you, Friends!
January 30
NEW Preserve on-line "Discussion List"
Its easy to join the conversation about issues, activities, and opportunities in the Preserve. Check the FAQ for subscription instructions.
2008
November 10
Campus cultural landscapes and Native American effigy mounds featured in Wisconsin Week article.
July 7
The Preserve formally accepted a new SUV (Solar Utility Vehicle) from BP America (Beyond Petroleum) today at a gathering at Picnic Point today. The vehicle will be used to move staff and equipment around the Preserve--quietly and with a minimal environmental impact. Thank you BP, for the generous gift! Article...
May 22
Early this morning portions of the Preserve, main campus and the Arboretum were sprayed with the pesticide Btk to combat gypsy moth caterpillars. Field monitors, from the UW grounds crew, assisted with the coordination of the low-flying plane that applied the pesticide. We will continue to monitor for infestations of this arboreal invader. Article.
May 2
January 9
Willow Creek Woods vegetation management
Work begins on removal of invasive shrubs and early successional trees that have become established in the understory beneath the dominant white and bur oaks at this half-acre site north of the Natatorium. Seeding with grasses and native plants will occur in the spring. A project summary of the initial phase provides more details.
2007
June 29
Summer 2007 Preserve E-newsletter
June 29
Garlic Mustard season over: Field Manager Cathie Bruner says: "The Lakeshore Nature Preserve garlic mustard pulling season ended on June 29 when Preserve stewards reported that the seeds had reached the shatter stage. We welcome hearing from you if you wish to be included in the fall garlic mustard mapping and management efforts."
June 14
Paddle To Work Day: Take a Stake in the Lake
Paddle to campus and store your boat for the day at Willow Beach in the Preserve. Learn more about this fun way to get to work!
April 25
Preserve website wins international 2007
award from Association of American Geographers
The Lakeshore Nature Preserve website has been awarded "2007 Best
Web Site" by
PlacesOnLine.org and the Assocation of American
Geographers, an international
professional organization for geographers.
Read UW news story >
PlacesOnLine.org is
a collection of quality Web sites that analyze or describe places. "We
believe that your site is an outstanding example of sites that meet our criteria
for inclusion," wrote co-editor Curtis Roseman, which include
original quality content, focus on a specific place, a user-friendly
format, and providing the user a place-based exeperience with an emphasis
on photographs and maps.
April 10
Garlic Mustard Work Parties Spring 2007
Help restore the Preserve by pulling the invasive garlic
mustard plant. We supply all the tools (you may want to
bring gloves). Check
out the schedule
for the next work party in this flyer...
For the latest information on
weather cancellations and schedules: call Cathie Bruner at 265-9275 (recording).
 Learn more about stewardship opportunities in the Preserve.
March 12
Preserve map wins state award
Read
full story The Lakeshore Nature Preserve interactive map
won a first place award for Best Animated
Map from the Wisconsin Land Information Association (WLIA). Rob Roth
shared this honor with other students and faculty on the Lakeshore
Map design team: Mark Harrower (faculty), Joel Przybylowski, Andy Woodruff,
and Melanie McCalmont.
March 7
Online lakeshore map wins national award
Read
full story "An online, interactive Web site that helps decipher
the Lakeshore Nature Preserve has won an award that puts the University
of Wisconsin-Madison student-driven project at the forefront of map
design in the United States. The award, for "Best Interactive Digital
Map" in the professional
category in the 2006 American Congress for Survey and Mapping's Cartography
and Geographical Information Systems Map Design Competition, was awarded
to the UW-Madison
Cartography Lab ."
2006
November 19
This website has just been launched, so the
quick answer to this question is—everything is
new. But
please do check out these especially cool new features….
Interested in finding out basic facts about the Preserve? Check
out our new Quick Facts section.
Check out the slide show on our new home page! You can CLICK ON A PICTURE to see more about that place or activity. Try it!
Learn about Phenology—the easy and fascinating science of seasonal change that anyone can practice.
Learn how a group of prominent Madisonians in the 1890s laid out a remarkable series of carriage roads and “pleasure drives” that today form the spine of the Lakeshore Nature Preserve.
Sign up for the Preserve's new email newsletter and let us keep you posted about what's going on!
Trace the history of the Preserve through our new on-line library of benchmark documents.
Learn about our commitment to stewardship.
Try out our new tool for making on-line contributions to the Preserve Stewardship Fund!
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